Kainji languages


The Kainji languages are a group of about 60 related languages spoken in west-central Nigeria. They form part of the Central Nigerian branch of Benue–Congo.

Demographics

Four of the most widely spoken Kainji languages are Tsuvadi, Cishingini and Tsishingini —all from the Kambari branch; and Clela , of the Northwest Kainji branch. In total, there were about one million speakers of Kainji languages in Nigeria.

History

Proto-Kainji is estimated by Blench to be 3,000 to 4,000 years old. Its broken distribution today is likely due to the historical northward expansion of the Nupoid languages.

Morphology

Proto-Kainji nominal prefixes:
The most divergent of the Kainji languages are Reshe, Laru and Lopa, which may form a branch together. Subclassification of the other branches is not yet clear. A bipartite division between East Kainji and West Kainji is no longer maintained, with West Kainji now being paraphyletic.

Blench (2018)

Most recent Kainji classification by Blench :
Blench's classification is:
A revised classification of the Kainji languages by McGill splits Kainji into the Lake and Central branches.
;Kainji
Classification of Plateau 1a and Plateau 1b languages by Gerhardt, based on Maddieson :
;Plateau 1a
;Plateau 1b
Below is a comprehensive list of Kainji language names, populations, and locations from Blench.
Note: West Kainji is geographical rather than genealogical.
GroupPrimary locations
East KainjiKauru LGA, Kaduna State and Bassa LGA, Plateau State
West KainjiRafi LGA, Niger State and Zuru and Yauri LGAs, Kebbi State

East Kainji

West Kainji

Numerals

Comparison of numerals in individual languages:
ClassificationLanguage12345678910
Western, Reshetsúnnɛ̀rìsə̄tàtswānāʃẽ́tɔ̃̄tēnzɔ̄tànsã̄dálànzɔ̀tānāʃẽ́úpwà
Western, Basahĩnjèbítàtɔnéʃìtánátʃìhintʃéndʒetɔndatɔtʃíndʒìʃìuḿpwá
Western, Dukatʃĩ́ʔílɨ̀tɨ́ːt͡ʃùnáːsétã́t͡ʃíhĩ̀tã̀ʔílɨ̀ jɨ́ːɾùdóːɾèʔóːpá
Western, Dukatʃɘ̄ːnjɘ̄ːrtɘ̄tnáːstánʃìʃìntàʔèr ?éːrdʒʷɘ̄ːrɔ̄p
Western, Kambariíyyánìɾɛ̀tàʔàtsúnə́ʃíntáːwúntə̀ːlítʃìndɛ̀ɾɛ́kùnlə̀kùttʃíkùppá
Western, Kamukutôːjápùtâːtùnósìtã̂utóɾíhĩ̀tíndàjàkùrílːòkùtítːíùkúpːà
Western, Kamukuĩ́jɑ́ⁿdə́ɰə̀tɑ́tɔ̀nə́ʃìtɑ́ɑ̀tə́nə́hìtə́ndə́ɰə̀tə́ntɑ́tɔ̀tə́ndə́ʃìòpɑ́
Western, Kamukuń / bikéjógòtátùnɔ́ʃìtátʃíjĩ̀tĩ́dòlòtĩ́dátùtĩ́díʃìhúpɛ́
Western, Kamukuĩ́ːjə̃́ʔʲə̃̂d͡ʒə̀tât̼ɔ̀ùnə́sĩ̀sàtáūt̼únìhĩ̄ūtə́ndə̀ɾʲə̄ūtátàt̼ɔ̄ ?ūtə́nə̀sĩ̄īkópʲè
Western, Kamukuhĩ́ːɾêːnùtâːtùnə̃́ːʃĩ̀tátʃíníhìtə̃́ndə́ɾə̀tə̃́ndáːtùtṹndúʃìúpwá
Eastern, Northern Jos, Jeradínkārɛ̀ːpútààrū / tàːrūnàːnzīʃùːbìtwàːsìsúnāːríùrūtɔ̀rbɔ̀būtúːrú
Eastern, Northern Jos, Kaurupi:ʃempiːbɑːpiːtærpiːnɑːzpiːʃiːpiːtæ ʃipiːsundæriːpiːkunæspiːturuːriːkiʃiːæbɑː / nikpiːrinætʃeti
Eastern, Northern Jos, Kaurunìdíitɨɽyátɨtáaɽɔtɨnáazɛúʃiiútasɛúsúndèɽìúɽiɽéùtáɽáníkúɽí